Review: RokPrime sizzles and fizzles

RokPrime steaks, New York strip pictured, and seafood are cooked on our their signature Hot Rok using only natural minerals, no oils, and is finished with black truffle butter.CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

4 = world class, extraordinary in every detail Reviews are based on multiple visits. Ratings reflect the reviewer's overall reaction to food, ambience and service.

'Does that taste as good as it looks?" she asks, pointing to the beautiful artichoke in front of me.

"It does," I say, passing it through the window that separates our two tables so that she can pluck a couple of leaves to try. It's one of the best artichokes I've eaten this season, so perfectly grassy and tender and finished on the grill with breadcrumbs and served with a roasted red pepper butter sauce.

The woman and her daughter, whose names I don't know, are seated on the patio just outside the window against which my party's indoor table is also snuggled. We have a temporary portal into each other's worlds, and for a moment, bonded by food, total strangers become fast friends.

RokPrime is a beautiful steakhouse that opened in October in downtown San Juan Capistrano. "If my memory serves me right, I think this place used to be a Denny's," says one of my dining companions.

If that's true, this place has come a long way. The ceiling drips with chandeliers. The décor is a mishmash of chic Paris flea market finds and rustic California farmhouse attitude, with gilded mirrors, big chalkboards, stone floors, intricately detailed antique doors and simple reclaimed wood. Leopard- and cheetah-print fabrics somehow seem elegant, as does the brown butcher paper that's laid atop white tablecloths. Waiters are dressed in starched white chef's coats, which throws me off at first. I see a pretty chef in her early 20s approaching the table, and I think, "Wow, the chef is so young!" But then she greets us with "Hi, I'm so-and-so, and I'll be your server today." That's the point at which I suddenly see lots of these young chefs, er, servers, infiltrating the dining room.

When our steaks arrive, served atop polished volcanic stones, they're sizzling and splattering wildly. It's quite a spectacle. Clouds billow up from the rocks like smoke in a war zone. It takes only an instant for the splatter to overwhelm the table. Speckles of grease are everywhere, on the tabletop, on our clothes, on our wine glasses, coating our eye glasses, hanging heavily in the air, dragging thickly through our lungs. Luckily, we're seated next to that window, and there's a slight breeze today, so much of the smoke and grease cloud gets sucked through the portal before fully engulfing us. Well, initially, at least. The woman and her daughter look like they're about to turn on us.

"Hey, sorry, but you're smoking us out over here," the woman says. "Do you mind if we shut the window?" But it's not really a question. Click, clack. The window slams shut before we can answer.

Uh-oh. So much for the breeze blowing in our favor. With the shutters now sealed, we feel as if we're dining inside a chimney with the flue closed.

In theory, the concept of serving steaks atop volcanic stones heated to 750 degrees sounds like a cool idea. But this isn't the same as, say, sizzling fajitas, whose theatrics last maybe a minute at best. The steaks continue cooking and sputtering for 10 minutes or more, until someone realizes the meat is overcooked and needs to be removed immediately before it turns completely gray. But there's nowhere to transfer the steaks. Apparently, the rocks are also meant to be our plates. Thinking quickly, we carve the steak into manageable hunks and stack the meat on our bread plates. Meanwhile, the rock still smolders.

I have to take responsibility here. The menu clearly states that, "upon request," most steaks and chops, as well as a couple of seafood items, can be served on the hot rocks. The waiter kindly asked whether we wanted the steaks served on stones, and we eagerly said yes.

On a follow-up visit, when we're seated deeper into the heart of the dining room, far from any windows, in a private booth, we make a point of not asking for the rocks. But then the food arrives, and half of our entrees are sizzling atop the stones even though we specifically didn't request them. Our booth cave fills with smoke even before the waiters can set anything down. It feels like a smoke grenade just exploded. We point out that we didn't ask for the rock treatment and don't want it. "Oh, I just assume everyone wants the rocks," says our waiter as he whisks the steaks and chops back to the kitchen to be replated. When the food returns, one steak is vastly undercooked while the lamb chops are thoroughly overcooked.

When you're in the business of cooking steaks, knowing how to properly judge the temperature should be a basic skill that's perfected over all others. But six months in, this place still hasn't worked out that crucial kink.

The restaurant claims to serve USDA prime beef, dry-aged and sliced to order in-house. On one visit, my New York strip is actually very nice, although to me it seems closer to USDA choice than prime. On another occasion, my rib-eye is clearly not the top-tier grade, so full of gristle and chewy and nearly impossible to cut even with a sharp steak knife.

Hot rock cooking might be the overriding gimmick, but inconsistency is the unifying theme. A salad of spinach and strawberries is lovely, while an iceberg wedge tastes like it's full of water. Onion rings are terrific, nearly 3 inches thick and perfectly golden. Brussels sprouts are undercooked to the point of being so crunchy I can't chew them without having my gums show. Lamb chops are actually quite delicious. I just wish they weren't so skinny. The asparagus is great, but the mac 'n' cheese is an embarrassment. It ought to be called mac 'n' milk, for there's no proof whatsoever of cheese being added. Carrot cake is huge and fluffy and amazing, while the chocolate fondue tastes like something from the party warehouse. Service on one visit is charming and doting. The next time around, the servers are firmly united against water refills. The amateurish wine list needs a complete retooling.

RokPrime is a fun idea. Like some of its steaks, though, the restaurant itself feels only half-cooked.

RokPrime steaks, New York strip pictured, and seafood are cooked on our their signature Hot Rok using only natural minerals, no oils, and is finished with black truffle butter. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A New York strip sizzles on a 752-degree volcanic stone. It sears quickly and is accompanied with Brussels sprouts and baked potato at RokPrime Steakhouse and Grille. The centuries old method of stone cooking, traced back centuries to the Ancient Egyptians and Vikings, comes to San Juan Capistrano. This dry cooking uses no added fats or oils. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Four separate and unique dining areas, which include the bar, are available at Rok Prime Steakhouse and Grille where the hostess asks customers where they prefer to sit. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Jumbo Onion Rings ($7) with a spicy remoulade are featured at RokPrime Steakhouse and Grille. The San Juan Capistrano restaurant offers $10 lunch daily with a choice of a burger, sandwich, fries and a non-alcoholic beverage. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Beautiful details are seen throughout RokPrime Steakhouse and Grille. Judith Haenel, who owns Malibu Kitchen, left, and Lisa Hartman of San Juan Capistrano love the atmosphere, service and food.The SJC eatery was designed by owner Lance Wilson. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Chilean Sea Bass ($30) in a miso sake marinade comes with a choice of a side at RokPrime Steakhouse and Grille in San Juan Capistrano. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Shrimp cocktail features white prawns with a spicy cocktail sauce at San Juan Capistrano's RokPrime Steakhouse and Grille. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Rauqel Olamendi, RokPrime manager, explains, "We love being a part of San Juan Capistrano. We are blessed to be part of such an amazing community. We want to evoke a sense of family. We strive to take care of each guest as if they are our best friend." The restaurant business is in her blood. Her family owns Olamendi's Mexican Restaurant in Dana Point and Laguna Beach. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The Wedge ($9) with Maytag blue cheese and applewood smoked bacon is served at RokPrime, San Juan Capistrano. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Although the chairs and even napkin rings might not match, it all works at this uniquely designed San Juan Capistrano steakhouse, RokPrime. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Live, relaxing Latin music is carried throughout RokPrime in San Juan Capistrano. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Rok Prime Steakhouse and Grille is located at 31761 Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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